“‘Bye Felicia’ has taken over timelines, making the popular phrase from the classic 1995 hood film, Friday, a viral mainstay. Even shows like ESPN’s Olbermann or VH1’s program of the same name have cashed in on the meme-able phrase.
Now, meet the woman behind Felicia: actress/photographer, Angela Means, who played the role of the nagging woman in Ice Cube and DJ Pooh’s flick. In the film, Felicia (Means) tries to borrow something from Craig (Cube) after bugging Smokey (Chris Tucker) to use his car, only to get the response, ‘Bye Felicia,’ which Means says was born of improv.
‘Cube uttered the words based off what I gave him as an actor,’ Means said in a phone interview with Vibe. ‘I don’t think that was actually in the script. That’s what the vibe was and we went with it.’” Camille Augustin, Vibe
“The cultural phenomenon that is ‘Bye Felicia’ may have reached peak popularity in recent years – but its ascendance began exactly 20 years ago.
…As the world examines the meaning behind the ‘Friday’ phrase, the actress who portrayed the role of ‘Felisha’ in the urban cult classic, Angela Means Kaaya, is leveraging her voice to make a difference in society. (According to IMDB, Kaaya’s character’s named was spelled as ‘Felisha,’ but the ‘Bye Felicia’ meme appears to modify the film’s original spelling.)
Since starring in Friday 20 years ago, Kaaya shifted her attention to raising her son, Brad Kaaya – who is the starting quarterback for the University of Miami football team – and leading her own photography company.
These days, the Michigan native is attempting to raise awareness for the importance of early childhood development via her organization, ‘Angie’s Kids.’” Brennan Williams, Huffington Post
Read more: Vibe
Read more: Huffington Post
Photo Credits: Angela Means, New Line Cinema
